Definitely Easyjet. I've never flown Ryanair and have no intention of, unless I really have to. They both offer similiar fares and for Easyjet give you more, and such simple things as seat recline! I many not often use it on short flights, but I still expect it to be there.
Plus Easyjet fly to 'proper' aiports, which is a huge bonus!

I flew with EasyJet from Luton to Madrid last March. I thought the service was excellent. Check-in was swift. We left on time, and the attendants were very helpfull telling me the best places to visit in Madrid. I was also allowed into the cockpit when we landed in Barajas.

I would always go with Easyjet if I had to choose between them both. At least Easyjet mostly fly into 'real' airports and still manage to keep prices really low (my return ticket to Madrid cost £35)

I prefer EasyJet because they do not bring you to remote airports like Ryanair.
The second reason I prefer EasyJet : I've flown several times and the service was pretty good, except once between CDG and LTN.
The third reason : I hate Ryanair attitude, claiming all the time it is the cheapest airline wich is false unless you can fly from tuesday to thursday, booking at least 3 month prior departure.
Fourth reason : I hate the Ryanair attitude toward authorities, toward othe airlines.
Regarding the customer service, both airlines have a very poor one!! For example, if you want to complain about something, the only way is to write in english only!!!

Im an easyjet fan only because ryanair doesnt fly to GVA and probably never will!
The fares are wonderful compaired to other airlines thats for darn sure and you can go someplace for the day... get on the early flight and come back on the late one.

Load of crap: FR is much more a low-cost carrier (read: efficient) than U2. In my experience of 30+ flights in total on both airlines, FR generally offers lower fares than U2, although U2 can offer good deals (i.e. £45 LPL-MAD-LPL including all taxes and charges).

"Easyjet give you more... plus Easyjet fly to 'proper' aiports..."

Yes, and this is why U2 is less efficient than FR, which explains why it generally offers higher fares.

After everything's said and done, the all-important consumer rightly has a about which airline to fly and when. Furthermore, if you're willing to pay these higher fares for seat recline and flying into 'proper' airports, then all well and good.

"Everyone writing for the Telegraph knows that the way to grab eyeballs is with Ryanair and/or sex."

That's not my concern: I am a consumer, not an investor nor an employee.

FR rightly realises you must spend money to make money. For example, new routes are normally loss-leaders for a while, so as to enable the public to become aware of them (through substantially reduced fares and excellent advertising).

[Edited 2004-02-23 11:01:55]

"Everyone writing for the Telegraph knows that the way to grab eyeballs is with Ryanair and/or sex."

Oh yeah, I find that FR and U2 are, in terms of customer service, quite equal. I say this because, in my experience, I have experienced sufficient friendliness and courteousness from both airlines. 'Simple' customer service is adequate for me to feel valued and like an individual consumer, not a mere number. It's especially pleasing to see a member of the cabin crew talking at length with a consumer. I suspect that most cabin crew members within both airlines are motivated and have high morale (a guess, mind). It doesn't cost much to smile and be polite and, in my view and experience, both carriers generally achieve this. Simple customer service delivered properly and effectively, is, in my opinion, very important, and is not expensive, although relies upon the staff being motivated. And are they generally motivated? Probably, but not everyone is always motivated to the same level.

[Edited 2004-02-23 11:10:03]

"Everyone writing for the Telegraph knows that the way to grab eyeballs is with Ryanair and/or sex."

The ITV show "Airline" is filmed normally over 6 month period and the huge ammount of footage filmed is then condensed into 8 half hour episodes of the running of a low cost airline. Britain being the gore seeking public that we are will not be content with happy passengers going on holiday on time and smiling at the camera. The British public like to see angst, rage and drunken behaviour. this is what the editors put into the show to help it make ratings.

Initially Britannia was used for the airline series over the summer of 1997 but they did not like how the show made them look, basically people screaming because they expected Britannia to take care of their every whim when Britannia couldn't. EasyJet have rules like every airline and being low cost these are basically set out on the website www.easyjet.com pay for flight, check-in for flight before ceck-in closes 40 mins before boarding, flight ttakes off, you buy your own drinks and you land and get off. If you choose to be late or miss the flight without it being EZY's fault then you have to make your own way.

I can see the bad side of the publicity the show gives us, but it's not us its really given to, the bad side is reflected by the travelling public, and I like the overall public to see that there are some very unreal people out there. Easyjet get a massive free advert from the airline series which actually attracts new travellers to the Easy network, If this was not true we would not sign up for more each year.

I have flown so many flights where passengersd have gotten off and said thatnk you, first time with easyJet and it was marvellous, I have yet to have had any when someone said it was crap.

I believe the producers keep in touch with some of the irate passengers featured and usually it is founf that after watching themselves they realise what complete idiots they are.

I think it is unfair to pitch FR/EZY against each other but I reckon if the cameras were following them the stories would be identical.

I have to go with Easyjet, mostly because they fly where I want to go (from where I want to leave from) - I have never had a problem with Easyjet customer service, they have their rules and stick to them generally, but the rules are not as ungenerous as FR's it would seem - there is an element of service recovery in the event of disruption. I use U2 8-10 times a year to travel NCE-LTN, and they are always fine, pretty much on time (give or take), planes clean, service friendly in the air and standard French-surly on the ground (ops normal for all ground handling in France). Plus I love the flapjacks they have on board (even though they OUTRAGEOUSLY overpriced).

I haven't been on FR recently, but anecdotal evidence suggests that it can be trying, so I won't bother unless I really have to.

It has to be Esayjet everytime. Not only do they fly to proper airports Stelios is a geezer whereas that Michael O'Leary just takes the piss with his preaching nonsense. Easyjet staff just follow rules which in turn enable flights to take of on time. Why should you be allowed to board a flight if you don't check in on time. It's a pity the likes of BA don't operate a policy like that, I don't think i've ever left on time on BA as theres always someone fannying around late.

It's true that Easyjet have higher fares than Ryanair, simply because EZ have to pay higher landing fees and have a higher cost structure for using mainstream airports. FR is dirt cheap cos they fly into mysterious landing strips light years away from your destination, this is not criticism, just fact. Having flown Easyjet a few times, i am happy with them, they do what's expected of them as a low cost carrier, and ofcourse, they're based in my home town.

Oh yeah, just to put FR's prices into context, including the cost of getting to and from the airports it serves: I am flying FRLPL-DUB-STN-HHN-BGY-STN, which is costing, including all fees and charges, £84.96. Even when I include getting from HHN to FRA and back, and BGY to MXP and back, the total is less than £110. This is somewhat less than a simple BAMAN-FRA-MAN ticket. So yes, it will take a little longer to reach FRA (about an extra 1.5 hours) and MXP (about 1.5-2 hours), but when I can get 5 flights and to and from two airports for less than the cost of one BA ticket, I cannot complain at all.

[Edited 2004-02-23 16:37:28]

"Everyone writing for the Telegraph knows that the way to grab eyeballs is with Ryanair and/or sex."

However, many people place a greater value on their limited time, and thus, despite how cheap FR might be, the more direct flights with easyjet and even BA make them a better all round value service than FR. While price is important, I suspect there might come a time when O'Leary forgets anything other than price to sell his product - for example by it taking an extra 2 hours to reach the final destination.

Hmm... no, my time is not as important as price, as it makes hardly any difference to me at all. And when I can get 5 flights for £84.96 (with an average cost of £16.95 per flight), and it will only take me 1.5 hrs to get to FRA and MXP, it'll go for that. It'd be silly to pay £110 or - or £93.05 or more than the average price per flight on FR - for a MAN-FRA-MAN ticket, just to save a couple of hours. And besides, as I'm very interested in aviation, I'd be foolish to have one flight when I can have 5 for less.

[Edited 2004-02-23 17:02:48]

"Everyone writing for the Telegraph knows that the way to grab eyeballs is with Ryanair and/or sex."